And, what’s more, President Patrick Sammon declared, “On the most important issue that LGBT Americans faced in the last decade – the federal marriage amendment – Sen. John McCain stood with us. Now we stand with him.” Um, Cabinites, McCain didn’t stand by you because he likes the gays. It’s because he likes federalism! C’mon!

Plus, marriage is hardly the “most important” issue. It’s spectacularly eye-catching, yes, but what about hate crimes legislation, employment discrimination legislation, and adoption legislation? Are we living on the same planet?

Log Cabin Endorses Sen. John McCain for President
McCain is an Inclusive Leader Who Will Appeal to Independent Voters

(Minneapolis, MN) – Log Cabin Republicans today announced its
endorsement of Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) for President of the United
States. Log Cabin’s national board of directors voted 12-2 to endorse
the Republican nominees for President and Vice President. Log Cabin
announced the decision at its “Big Tent Event” during the Republican
National Convention in Minneapolis.

“On the most important issue that LGBT Americans faced in the last
decade-the federal marriage amendment-Sen. John McCain stood with us.
Now we stand with him,” said

Log Cabin Republicans President Patrick Sammon. “Sen. McCain is an
inclusive Republican who is focusing the GOP on unifying core
principles that appeal to independent voters.”

“Sen. McCain showed courage by bucking his own party’s leadership and
the president-twice voting against the amendment. He gave an
impassioned speech on the Senate floor, calling the amendment
‘antithetical in every way to the core philosophy of Republicans.’

He paid a political price for his vote,” said Sammon.

“Log Cabin Republicans is a grassroots organization and our membership
overwhelmingly supports endorsing Sen. McCain,” said Log Cabin Board
Chairman Pete Kingma. “Our board and staff members have spent recent
months getting input and feedback from our members. The consensus
among our members is strongly in favor of an endorsement because of
his inclusive record. Our members also support him because he’s a
maverick; a trait most recently on display with his decision to select
Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate.”

“In recent years, too many Republican politicians have used divisive
social issues in an effort to win elections. Sen. McCain is a
different kind of Republican. He understands the GOP lost its majority
in Congress in 2006 largely because the Party focused on divisive
social issues. Sen. McCain knows the politics of fear and division
will damage our Party and our nation so he’s focusing the GOP on
unifying core principles such as limited government, fiscal
responsibility, and a strong national defense,” said Sammon.

“We have honest disagreements with Sen. McCain on a number of gay
rights issues. Log Cabin will continue our conversation with him and
other Republican leaders about issues affecting gay and lesbian
Americans. We will speak out when there’s disagreement-either during
the upcoming campaign or when John McCain is President,” said Sammon

Sen. McCain has had a long and friendly association with Log Cabin
Republicans, dating back to the organization’s opening of a national
office in the mid-1990s.

“Sen. McCain has always shown a willingness to reach out and engage in
dialogue with Log Cabin, while considering all sides of an issue,”
said Sammon. “We know that will continue when he is President.”

“Progress in the fight for LGBT equality requires support from both
Republicans and Democrats,” said Sammon. “Log Cabin’s endorsement of
Sen. McCain will ensure our community has a strong voice making the
case for gay rights to John McCain when he is President.”

According to the organization’s bylaws, Log Cabin endorses only
Republican candidates.

Log Cabin Republicans endorsed then-Governor George W. Bush in 2000,
but declined to endorse President Bush in 2004-largely over the
president’s push for a federal anti-gay marriage constitutional
amendment and his decision to use gay people as a wedge issue in
winning re-election.

“I expect Sen. McCain will receive strong support from gay and lesbian
Americans,” said Sammon. “LGBT people are not single-issue voters.
Gay rights issues are a critical part of the equation, but so are many
other issues impacting our daily lives-foreign policy, the economy,
jobs, energy policy, health care reform, and taxes. Gay and lesbian
Republicans believe Sen. John McCain is the most qualified person to
lead our country.”

They’re just a bunch of straight republicans who say they’re gay so people will think the republicans have gay people in their party.

No way these guys are really gay.

That just wouldn’t make sense.

Unless they are completely insane gay people. That I would believe.

Sep 2, 2008 at 3:20 pm · @Reply ·

CitizenGeek

Any tiny glimmer of respect the Log Cabin Republicans might have regained with me is not totally, utterly and completely gone. It’s obvious they don’t actually care for gay rights or anything like that – they’re just a bunch of wealthy gays who don’t want their taxes to raise. They’re pathetic.

Sep 2, 2008 at 3:27 pm · @Reply ·

CitizenGeek

*not = should be “now”

Sep 2, 2008 at 3:33 pm · @Reply ·

Jaroslaw

Chicago Jimmy – point taken about purchasing rights if one is wealthy enough. IF we let them get away with it! One has to try diligently to make them see you can purchase lots of things but self respect isn’t one of them. Obviously.

“We have honest disagreements with McCain on Gay issues….” Really. Which issues do you agree with, LCR? Oh, McCain opposed the Federal Amendment only because he thinks the States should decide – wait until we get close to a tipping point on States approving Gay marriage, then we’ll hear a different tune. Or he’ll be dead, as slow as this country is!

Well, at least we know who is sitting at the back of the bus on the Straight Talk Express.

Sep 2, 2008 at 3:46 pm · @Reply ·

CitizenGeek

The LCR even has a campaign to beat Prop 8 in California but McCain has formally expressed his support for the “Yes on 8″ crowd that wants to reverse the supreme court decision granting marriage to gays. The LCR is endorsing a candidate that is actively fighting against it’s own, current interests. Is it any wonder no one (and I mean _no one_ – neither dems, Republicans or gays) take these morons seriously?

And Prop 8 in California if approved will only be due to Democrats mostly Obama supporters.

Sep 2, 2008 at 3:56 pm · @Reply ·

John

Does anyone know how many Log Cabin Republicans there are actually are? I’m thinking its a handful of men and women who have put family tradition or their pocketbooks before their own humanity. See the Bible for why that’s not a good thing.

Sep 2, 2008 at 3:57 pm · @Reply ·

jamesn

Re-read McCain’s Saddleback answer carefully. The money quote:

“And if a federal court â€” if a federal court decided that my state of Arizona had to observe what the state of Massachusetts decided, then I would favor a Constitutional amendment. Until then, I believe the state should make the decisions within their own states.”

That’s not Federalism.

Sep 2, 2008 at 4:01 pm · @Reply ·

BamaGUY

I have HAD it with gay men who are proud Log Cabin Republicans. How self-hating can you be? It is like gay men who continue to go to Catholic churches or very conservative christian congregations where they “love the sinner but hate the sin”. How can you do that to yourself? .

They would support Mccain even if he said he wanted to exterminate all the gays. Log Cabin people need to relook at their priorities in life. W

Sep 2, 2008 at 4:11 pm · @Reply ·

Jaroslaw

Boy Thor, that’s something to think about. What WOULD it take for LCR to not endorse the party’s nominee? But now that I think about it, did they not endorse once before?

Sep 2, 2008 at 4:27 pm · @Reply ·

ggreen

Not all gay Republicans are rich many are simply clueless and or stupid. I have known many gay Republicans that were just ignorant and voted the way their family and neighbors did. Especially in the deep south.

Sep 2, 2008 at 4:39 pm · @Reply ·

emb

And they wonder why the non-self-loathing gay and lesbian community says mean, intolerant things about them? Did the LCR actually READ the platform?

Please, guys… The GOP has made it crystal clear to everyone but you, apparently: They don’t like you, they don’t want you around, they’ll be happy to take your votes but please don’t ask them to accept you as human beings.

Hanging around doesn’t gain you credibility inside or outside the tent. The repubs don’t want to change from within, and they’re not about to let you do it. Meantime, you lose all respect as conservative gays by aligning yourselves with a party that hates you.

GGreen, if I vote for McCain you think I need to be re-educated into the proper gay way of thinking. Let know when I should pack for The Camp

Leaving it up to the states isn’t that what Obama would do?

Sep 2, 2008 at 5:41 pm · @Reply ·

JJ

I think the endorsement actually hurts McCain among the core Republicans whom he’s courted ever since he paid a visit to Jerry Falwell at Liberty University. For example, how many Utah Republicans will now switch to McCain based on LRC’s endorsement? Some might actually question whether McCain should be their candidate. Any gay people who will vote for McCain probably would do so with or without LRC’s endorsement. So — without addressing the sanity of LRC — I think the endorsement is politically a net loss for McCain.

Sep 2, 2008 at 7:23 pm · @Reply ·

Jaroslaw

I watch very little TV and haven’t for some time. I live to close to work and so listen to little radio. How much coverage do the Log Cabin Republicans get outside Gay circles?

Sep 2, 2008 at 7:37 pm · @Reply ·

Gregoire

It must be depressing indeed to support a candidate who won’t even say your name aloud to a crowd.

Sep 2, 2008 at 8:59 pm · @Reply ·

Sean S.

My beef isn’t that there are Log Cabin Republicans, but despite their constant caterwauling about Stonewall Democrats, they haven’t managed to get shit out of their party. If, as they so often claim, that the “Big Tent” of the GOP is ready and willing to accept them, than they need to show more than some cockamamie bullshit.

If they want to displace evangelicals, and other screw looses, in the party (ala Barry Goldwater) than they need to start ponying up serious amounts of cash and legwork. You don’t just wake up one day and find yourself a power broker in a political party. Certainly Stonewall Democrats haven’t gotten their way into the party by merely endorsing candidates; they’ve done so by organizing amongst the gay community, turning out voters, turning out donations, and as evidenced by Tammy Baldwin, turning out candidates.

This sort of stuff is the kind of nuts and bolts work that the Log Cabin’s have either refused to do, or have done poorly. And they have no one else to blame than themselves.

Sep 2, 2008 at 11:15 pm · @Reply ·

crazylove

What I don’t get- and perhaps someone can explain it to me- but if your main issue isn’t being gay, then why organize a group that’s about your sexual orientation at all? That’s like a Christian group organizing as a Chrisitian group, but saying their main focus and issuet aren’t about being Christian. It’s a bizzare positon to take.

Sep 2, 2008 at 11:38 pm · @Reply ·

Michael

I don’t think many Log Cabin Republicans are actually rich, I think they are “rich wannabees” I remember seeing a documentary about one of them from Palm Beach. In it they showed him riding around with his mother, showing her all the fab, old money houses. Then they showed him going door to door as an in house hair dresser for wealthy old women. Somehow this idiot seemed to think that he was one of them. The reality was that he was and never will be “one of them” only a well paid servant. I think there are a lot of gay guys who have some fairy tale fantasy about being from “old money”. Its only because they have no real self esteem so they desperately seek elitism to remedy it. It childishly pathological thinking, not based in reality, just like their politics.

Sep 2, 2008 at 11:42 pm · @Reply ·

Homo Politico

Iâ€™m attending an LCR event tomorrow night in Minneapolis. I plan to try and figure out why these people will vote against their self-interests. Not just the gay stuff, but things like this interminable war thatâ€™s trashing our economy and making us less safe. Tolerating McSame is one thing, endorsing him his just icky.

The lame logic that LRC needs to do this so gays have access to him if he wins is senseless. If elected, McSame will throw gays under the bus at the first opportunity. He has already demonstrated that he panders to his partyâ€™s far right. Letâ€™s support our friends into elected office at the local, state and federal levels.

Sep 3, 2008 at 12:23 am · @Reply ·

emb

Homo Politico–I’m looking forward to your report!

Sep 3, 2008 at 12:53 am · @Reply ·

Mr C

Ousslander you said:

Leaving it up to the states isn’t that what Obama would do?

No my dear that is what John McCain would do and he said PLAIN AND CLEAR that he rather leave it to the states to decide the issue of Gay Marriage

At least Obama does support civil unions as your girl Hillary does.

Sep 3, 2008 at 1:08 am · @Reply ·

Ricci

Gay People have different priorities when they vote. They feel safer with McCain than Obama or trust McCain over Obama & or guns or wtvr other issues that are more important then advancing their own gay agenda.

Sep 3, 2008 at 2:07 am · @Reply ·

Marjorie Flores from Ishcombobbido

“I don’t think many Log Cabin Republicans are actually rich, I think they are “rich wannabees” I remember seeing a documentary about one of them from Palm Beach”

That was Wash West’s documentary, Gay Republicans. While some of the LCRs he featured seemed refreshly accessible (at least the libertarians, although living in Portland, OR…I’ve certainly had my fill of them, too), the two LCRs who left the biggest impression were Maurice, the hairdresser you mentioned, and Mark, as I believe he was called.

Mark was the most incredibly unlikeable sexist pig. It was patently obvious that none of his LCR cohorts were fond of him, and, yet, in defense of the LCR, he seemed to be the exception, rather than the norm.

But to get back to the original post, they did show Mark going to door to door in his community, and, of course, when he faced healthy intellectual confrontation, he engaged in histrionics and more overt sexist retorts.

But my sense is that the LCR know their message falls on deaf ears within the community. And the realistic ones are probably always questioning whether to be in the organization, at all. Like most gay environments, it seems not to provide the sense of inclusion even the most socially conservative gay man may be looking for.

Sep 3, 2008 at 2:22 am · @Reply ·

dfrw

Homo-Politico, I am waiting for the report from Minneapolis. ;-)

Sep 3, 2008 at 6:10 am · @Reply ·

Independence of Thought

It’s not like we have to gush love on democrats/Obama. And people forget how strongly our community actually was for HRC…I don’t know what kind of president Barack Obama will be, but he seems intelligent and to have the best interests of the country at heart.

I am afraid I do know what kind of president John McCain will be. He would try to run out of the gates as independent of the “right wing”, but eventually would be beat into submission, just like he was beat into submission with his VP choice…Isn’t that blatantly obvious at this point? Republicans aren’t allowed independence of voice/mind…If you don’t believe that look how Republicans railed against Lincoln Chaffee in Rhode Island during his re-election campaign…the right wing actually ran ads opposing him because he was a true maverick.

Sep 3, 2008 at 6:38 am · @Reply ·

ggreen

But there are facts that are impossible to ignore:

â€¢ “I don’t believe in gay adoption,” says John McCain.
â€¢ “I believe that the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy is working in the military,” says John McCain.
â€¢ In 2000, 2002 and 2004, he voted against adding sexual orientation to federal hate crimes legistlation.
â€¢ McCain voted against extending the Civil Rights Act to prohibit job discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Sep 3, 2008 at 12:17 pm · @Reply ·

Jenna's Bush

I have HAD it with gay men who are proud Log Cabin Republicans.

What about the Log Cabin Lesbians? Have you HAD it with them, too?

Sep 3, 2008 at 12:51 pm · @Reply ·

CarlinSeattle

Pay attention Log Cabin Republicans: ENOUGH!

Sep 3, 2008 at 3:51 pm · @Reply ·

Homo Politico

I attended a swank LCR event in Minneapolis Wednesday eve. I still donâ€™t get it.

Most of the smattering of woman present were reps of local LGBT orgâ€™s; presumably good Demâ€™s. Ditto the scant racial diversity. In many Kafkaesque conversations I heard the words â€˜inclusionâ€™ and â€˜inclusiveâ€™ repeatedly used to describe McSame and the GOP.

I guess Iâ€™m glad that there are gay Repubâ€™s willing to do the yeomanâ€™s work of â€˜gayingâ€™ the GOP. Rather than place-holding until their party catches up to the rest of the civilized world, I think they would make more progress through noncooperation; withholding endorsements, protesting their antigay platform, boat rocking, etc.

My hope is that when they vote in the Fall, LCRâ€™s will vote their own interests and cast their ballots for candidates and a party that really do include us in their words, actions and platform.

Sep 4, 2008 at 5:41 am · @Reply ·

Debbie

Get this through your heads LCRs,,,,, the reps HATE YOU and other gay and lesbians. They dont care about you or your rights, you have NO rights in there eyes, they want you to stay In the closet, or do you even care? I suppose your self hatred is more important than your freedom of having your rights intact. Next time go to a fundy church for the self hatred as well as stay in the hate party.